In a one-on-one discussion with the Washington Examiner’s Kimberly Leonard, Chairman Walden highlighted what work Congress has already done to fight the deadly scourge, pointing to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and the 21st Century Cures Act, which became law last Congress, and the $4 billion in new appropriations in this year’s omnibus.

But despite these past efforts, Chairman Walden told Leonard that more work remains, saying, “There’s a lot we can do to help this crisis.”

Chairman Walden highlighted #SubDCCP Chairman Bob Latta’s (R-OH) H.R. 4284, the Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids (INFO) Act, which passed the House by voice vote on Tuesday. H.R. 4284 will create a public and easily accessible electronic dashboard linking to all of the nationwide efforts and strategies to combat the opioid crisis.

Much of the conversation also focused on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It has also been named the leading cause of opioid overdose deaths.

“This is potent stuff, but so is our legislation. …we’re going to make big headway on this. We’re going to save lives,” Chairman Walden told Leonard and the audience.

Leonard asked Chairman Walden about the Trump Administration’s role in the efforts to combat this scourge. “The administration has been on top of this,” said Chairman Walden, who also stressed the powerful new ads that have been released as part of a new awareness campaign.

Following the discussion with Chairman Walden, Leonard also spoke with Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, who issued an advisory earlier this year encouraging individuals to carry naloxone to help revive individuals who overdose.

To learn more about Energy and Commerce’s comprehensive efforts to combat the opioid crisis, click HERE.

To learn more about the House’s efforts to combat the opioid crisis, click HERE.